Everything's Better With a Best Friend
by TheSilverArgents
Summary: "Miss Wyman, this is Katherine Pulitzer. She's a new student here at the Willard School, and your new roommate." Or the story of how Clara Wyman met Katherine Pulitzer


_A/N: You know what, it's time we get some Katherine and Clara backstory up in this bitch. Thanks to swimmingnewsies for staying up late and discussing headcanons with me. Reviews and favorites keep me going, so do prompts! Enjoy!_

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When Clara turned the corner into her dormitory hall that day she did not expect to see her headmistress and a girl her age standing before her door. A puzzled expression clouded Clara's features, but she walked over to her room anyway. As she neared, the headmistress looked up and called, "Oh, Miss Wyman! We have some wonderful news!" Clara gave her a smile and picked up her pace a little bit. The girl next to the headmistress sneezed into a handkerchief and Clara arrived in time to offer her a "Bless you!" The girl thanked her and tucked some of her chestnut curls behind her ears.

"Miss Wyman, this is Katherine Pulitzer. She's a new student here at the Willard School, and your new roommate." The headmistress announced. Clara raised her eyebrows and tried not to let her disappointment cloud her features, she quite liked having a room to herself. "Miss Pulitzer, this is Clara Wyman, I'm sure she'll help you get acclimated to the fine Willard institution. Now, I must be going, I'll leave you two to get acquainted with one another, I'm sure you'll be grand friends in no time!" Clara nodded her head once and Katherine sneezed in response. The headmistress swept away and the two girls stood awkwardly in front of the door.

They were silent for a moment before Clara impatiently broke it, "Shall we go inside?" She pulled the key out of her handbag and stuck it into the key hole, turning it once before pushing the door open. She held the door open for Katherine and turned to see a trunk and three other travel bags on the bed across from hers. It was official, she was getting a roommate. "I see Dominic brought your stuff in already." Clara said conversationally.

"Yes I met at him at the school's entrance he said he'd take my bags to my room- um, our, room." Katherine said in a bit of a scratchy voice.

Clara smiled gently at her, knowing how nervous she felt. "Don't worry you'll get used to it, this place. It's pretty good, I can give you the grand tour later on, for now however, I think you should unpack." She walked over to an armoire on Katherine's side of the room, "This would be your armoire and…" she walked over to a desk near one of the windows, "This would be your desk. Your room key should be in the first drawer on the right." She shrugged and rocked back on her heels,not knowing what to do and pressing her lips together.

Katherine smiled at her and crossed her arms across her chest, "I'm sorry if I'm disrupting your patterns. It's just…I got sick and my doctor told me I'd have to wait until I got better to go to school."

Clara's jaw dropped and it stayed that way for a moment before she started stumbling over her words, "No, no it's okay, really. I don't mind sharing a room or anything, it was just a bit unexpected!"

"So you're okay with me being here?" Katherine asked a bit of hope coloring her voice. She let out a small cough and excused herself.

"Yes, I'm absolutely fine with you being here. If I'm being completely honest I was getting kind of lonely." Clara said truthfully. She only had a few acquaintances, most people were too scared to talk to her because of her father's position.

Katherine nodded and walked over to her desk, running her hands over the wood solemnly. "So," she began after a moment, "the headmistress said your last name was Wyman, right? Any relation to the Surgeon General?"

Crap, this was too quick. She was smart.

"Um yes, there's a relation." Clara said vaguely.

"Uncle, father, brother, cousin?" Katherine asked turning to face her and leaning against the desk.

"The headmistress said your name was Pulitzer, right? Any relation to the newspaper publisher?" Clara evaded her question with a question, trying to distract her.

Katherine looked down pursing her lips not wanting to say anything.

"Uncle, father, brother, cousin?" Clara parroted back to her, a teasing lilt to her voice.

Katherine bit back a smile and said, "Okay on three we say it. 1, 2, 3."

"Father!" The girls exclaimed in unison. Bright smiles crept onto their faces and they began to laugh. Quickly though, Katherine's laugh turned into dry coughs.

"Oh gosh, are you alright?" Clara asked. Katherine's coughs quieted down and she nodded, cracking a smile. She turned to one of her bags and began to unzip it, pulling out a heavy looking typewriter.

Clara let out a low whistle, "That is some typewriter."

Katherine beamed with pride, "Thanks! It was a going away present. I want to be a reporter." She bit her lip as she said the last part, suddenly looking unsure of herself, as if she said too much.

"There aren't many female reporters." Clara stated, walking over to her desk, not looking at Katherine and picking up her chemistry book.

Katherine shrugged as if she heard the sentence a thousand times before. She sat in the chair that was in front of the desk and pursed her lips. Clara smiled a little and walked over to her, textbook in hand. She sank to the floor, tucking her legs underneath her.

"You know, I think the headmistress was right; we _are_ going to be good friends, great friends even. We could even be unemployed together when we leave school." Clara said matter-of-factly.

Katherine looked down at her, confusion etched into her face.

"Let's just say, there are as many women studying medicine as there are female reporters." Clara grinned up at her and was relieved to see Katherine's face break into a grin too.

"Oh, I thought you hated me already! Thank, God!" Katherine began laughing and soon Clara did too. Eventually though, Katherine began coughing again and they sobered up.

"Hey, you know what's good for a cough like that?" Clara said getting up off the floor.

Katherine got up too and asked, "Tea and honey?"

Clara nodded and bit back a smile, "Come on, doctor's orders. We're going down to the dining hall right now and getting some hot tea in you."

Clara walked over to the door and waited as Katherine smoothed her skirt. Katherine walked to the door and Clara looked at her, "Ready?"

Katherine nodded, "Ready."

And off they went.


End file.
